Chapter 25: The End Of The Battle

Story: Twist Of Fate

By: Sky

InuTaisho heard his daughters whispered 'No' and Yenshen's warning almost too late. He had shifted his weight sideways, which caused the attack by Jath're'ka to not be fatal. For if he had landed as he would have had InuTaisho not moved, he would have landed upon InuTasho's back, breaking the spine in several places, and with his back legs, have driven the Western Lords ribs into his lungs. If Jath're'ka had not deemed to finish him off then, InuTaisho would have been paralyzed, and would have died from choking on his own blood from his pierced lungs, before his demon healing would have really been able to start.

However, the attack only left a long deep gash in InuTaisho's shoulder as he continued his move sideways; momentum carrying him now. He landed heavily on his three legs; holding the wounded one off the ground and with no weight on it. Jath're'ka sat down, and licked his claws, cleaning off the others blood.

"Not as good as a stag," he replied offhandedly, watching InuTaisho's wound bleed. "But is goes to show you that you are too old for your position old dog. My and your daughters cubs will happily supply an heir strong enough to full the position."

InuTaisho did not respond to the bait, but instead briefly turned his attention back up to his daughter.

She was struggling with the one who had gone to recapture her. He could hear the scuffle taking place, and he could see some movement at various times when they were close enough to the railing. He was seriously pondering going up there, when he watched Kagome do the most un-ladylike move. She drew back her arm, balled up a fist, and socked her assailant right in the nose. He was sure she hadn't been taught that particular trick, though he had heard of a particular human who used it… InuTaisho took a moment to chuckle, and then turned his attention to Jath're'ka.

"I suppose I should take my daughters cue." Reaching over, he gave his wounded shoulder a quick lick to stem some of the bleeding, and then crouched. "After all, I still have to repay you for bringing her to this lovely palace of yours." Jath're'ka hissed, and InuTaisho lunged.

The two combatants met in the middle, with claws out and teeth bared. Jath're'ka managed to get his claws into the upper part of InuTaisho's front legs, but InuTaisho got a good bit into Jath're'ka's shoulder, wrenching the jaguar from him, and throwing him to the ground. Jath're'ka quickly regained his feet, and stood facing the Western Lord again.

"Not bad for an old dog."

"Not bad for a cubling cat." This caused the jaguar to hiss venomously at him, but InuTaisho ignored it. "I'm surprised you don't need to go to your mother for milk now." Jath're'ka's face twisted in a mask of rage at the insult, and leapt at InuTaisho with all four sets of claws completely extended. InuTaisho dodged sideways, but Jath're'ka landed and swiped sideways; catching InuTaisho's chest with his claws. The old dog howled in pain, and then his eyes narrowed with anger as he leapt forward and caught Jath're'ka's hind leg with his jaws.

Of course, the jaguar didn't like that, and clawed and bit at InuTaisho's unprotected shoulders and back. InuTaisho grunted, but then crushed the leg with his jaws; causing Jath're'ka to scream in his own pain. And while InuTaisho had him there, the dog reared up on his back legs, and slammed the jaguar into the ground on his back. Jath're'ka screamed again, louder, and InuTaisho heard something snap. That wasn't enough to stop the jaguar though. It tore at the dogs muzzle with its front claws, even biting down on the tender flesh. The dog was forced to let go, and the jaguar squirmed away.

And they stood once again facing each other. Jath're'ka standing off his back leg, with blood on his fur, and InuTaisho off his front leg, with blood dripping down his muzzle and chest. This was about the time that everyone else decided to come in. The remaining two pack-mates, and the three clansmen. Each was bloodied somewhere, and it looked like one of the dogs was missing an eye, and the other an ear. Yenshen still held her spot on the balcony, and Kagome was still tearing into Pathron eight stories above the fight. The only people missing from the group that came to the South were Sesshomaru, Guthrow, and InuYasha.

The two enemies stood facing one another for several long heartbeats; trying to find any weakening in their opponents. When they each came to their own conclusions, Jath're'ka let out a mighty roar, and lunged for InuTaisho again. The Dog-Lord took the impact, fastening his teeth into the back of Jath're'ka's neck, while the jaguar tried to gut him with his back claws. All that were managed though were a few shallow swipes. InuTasiho threw the cat down onto the ground again, but not letting go as he tried to ground his opponent into the dirt. Jath're'ka retaliated by striking out with all four feet again; his back legs once more trying to reach the Dog-Lords belly. His front claws wrapped around InuTaisho's head and Jath're'ka started biting at his neck.

This just caused InuTaisho to bite harder and deeper into the cats neck, which caused Jath're'ka to attack more frantically. But whatever he did, he could not loosen the Dog-Lords grip on his neck. Then, with one fierce growl and a tightening of his jaws, there was a bone-crushing snap, and Jath're'ka convulsed within the dog-lords jaws. At that time, several of the palace guards had found where the garden where all the action was taking place, and decided to charge in and attack. However, those of InuTaisho's group gladly faced the new challenge down. They lunged at the remaining guards that had entered the room, once more engaging into battle.

At the same time, InuTaisho's mouth dripped blood as he crushed the jaguar's windpipe, causing the creature to once more convulse within his grasp, and try feebly to get himself free. However, the motions quickly became sluggish as the jaguar bled to death within his opponents grasp. With a quick bite, InuTaisho completely severed Jath're'ka's windpipe, and the jaguar convulsed once more, and was still beneath him. Dropping the limp form from his mouth, InuTaisho turned his attention to the fight around him.

The guards were loosing badly; especially after the loss of their Lord. InuTaisho watched the black and white Yenshen viciously bite into a guards shoulder, tearing his arm off, and another pack-mate disembowel another guard. His vision hazed a bit at the sides, and InuTaisho shook his head to clear his vision. He could collapse later. Right now, he was here to claim his prize. He looked up towards the balcony Kagome had been fighting on, and strained his ears to listen past the fighting on the ground for any noise from upstairs. There was none. His heart fell; thinking that either his daughter had been knocked unconscious, was badly wounded, or had lost her fight. That was, until he caught movement on the balcony at his eye level.

A silver-black cat, standing on two legs and wearing the garb of a ranking guard, strode out of the shadows with a smug grin, and a blade pressed tightly to the throat of Kagome. She had a bruise forming around one of her eyes, and had several more scrapes and bloody rents in her flesh, but other then that she looked fine.

"I wouldn't move any closer Dog-Lord. As you have proven with my Lord, decapitation or something near to it will kill her." InuTaisho growled deeply in his throat, but did not move any farther forward then where he stood now, and that caused the creature before him to laugh with almost an insane edge to it.

"I have done it! I will rule over both South and West, and then I will take over the other two territories. Then all this land will be mine!" He gave another laugh edged with insanity, until it was cut off by someone digging their claws into his shoulder and shoving him to the pillar on the banister railing. His gaze lifted a moment later to meet the bright blue eyes of a woman with silver hair. Instantly, he knew it was a Clansman, but he also marked that this one was a bit different then the others by the clothes she wore, and the hint of wildness in her eyes.

Her silver hair was cut to the base of her ears, and flowed freely, except for a long braid from the nape of her neck that extended to mid-thigh, and was tried off with a strip of black leather. Across her back was strapped two katanas. A gold dragon wound its way from the end of the handle to the hilt base on the left blade whose grip was wrapped in red, while a silver dragon repeated the same pattern on the right, with the grip wrapped in black.

She wore a black pair of pants, and black slip-on shoes. The shirt she was short-sleeve and was in the traditional Japanese style, except for the fact that it was long enough to go to her mid-thighs, and was slit up the sides to her hips. She had the shirt tied around her waist with a thin black cord, which accented her form quite well. On her left ear, which pointed delicately at the tip, had two piercing in the lower lobe, and one a fingers width from the point of her ear. The ornaments within them were black hoops, and on the upper on, hung a delicate silver chain. At the end of the chain was the only gem she wore; a blood-red stone. Her right ear only had the double-piercing at the bottom. She just radiated a sense of wildness about her that he had never sensed in a demon before. Especially not a powerful one.

She gave him a smirk filled with glee, that also shown in her eyes. Then she turned to where Kagome had fallen when she had shoved her aside. The girl in question was gazing at her with fearful eyes that were quickly coloring with curiosity. Her gaze returned to the man in her grasp, and pressed her thumb into his shoulder, digging her claw in right below his collar bone. The other four fingers at the other side of his shoulder also dug into his flesh with her sharp claws. And then she tsked at him.

"I believe this one here didn't like your touch."

"Go to hell," he spat at her. Her grin widened.

"Thank you. I've been there. Too cold for my blood." She turned to Kagome again. "Is he bothering you?"

"Y-yes," Kagome stammered. She didn't quite know how to handle the Clansman before her. She was not at all like Karamina. Instead, the kitsune turned back to the male in her grasp.

"In case you haven't noticed, but you're fight takes place about…" She looked over his shoulder to the garden below him. "mmm…ten stories that way." With that, she released him, only to shove him off the banister rail.

The silver-haired warrior then looked back at Kagome, and shook her head.

"Getting caught by the likes of him. Tsk tsk. You apparently need to spend more time at your training."

"Who are you?" asked Kagome, unable to stop herself.

"I'm a Clansmen, if that will reassure you. Just passing through." There was a commotion from below, and the Clansman turned her attention to it. It was the cat getting ripped limb from limb by the three dog demons that InuTaisho had brought with him, as if it was a choice piece of meat, and they a starving pack. She shook her head.

"Well, that had to hurt. Deserved it, but it still had to hurt." She looked back at Kagome, who was still regarding her with curiosity. Shaking her head, the Clansman reached down, and dragged Kagome to her feet, and then pulled her to her side.

"Well, since you seem unable to do so, I guess I can take you down a few levels to your father." And without another word, the Clansman leapt off the balcony holding Kagome firmly to her. Kagome instinctively tightened her grip on the Clansman's arm, who made soothing noises in response.

"If I wanted to hurt you Kagome, I would have done it already." As they reached the ground, a bit away from the pack of dogs and Clansmen, the one holding Kagome loosened her grip just a bit, and dropped the girl a few feet from the ground. As she landed, the Clansman sprung from where her feet touched the ground, and headed for another balcony, effectively disappearing over the railing when she reached one of the levels. A cloud outside moved from over the sun Kagome watched the Clansmen depart, and she was bathed in the sunlight now coming through the window of the garden. For several moments, she continued to watch the direction the clansman had run off to, but her attention was drawn away from it as she heard her name softly spoken.

Kagome turned to find two clansmen, Karamina, three pack-mates, and her father watching her. Was there relief and pride in the packs eyes, and longing in her fathers. At that time, she saw movement behind them, and shifted her gaze to that. Sesshomaru just entered the room, with hair slightly mussed up and Tokijin in one hand. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she saw that her brother was, for once, not his pristine self. Their eyes met briefly, and he nodded a greeting to her, and at the same time letting her know he was all right.

Kagome's attention then went back to her father, who had shifted back to his human state. He had a large gash across his chest that still bled, and also one along his shoulder. Not to mention the dried blood on his face. But she didn't care. His eyes were the same, even is she didn't recognize her father beneath the blood and wounds. She took a few shaky steps towards him, hand outstretched in longing. That was when all the terror, all the pain, all the anger, hopelessness, and despair hit her.

As Kagome took her next step, her knees gave out, and she fell towards the earth. In an instant though, she felt a warm pair of arms around her, keeping her from the ground. For a moment, she looked up into her brothers eyes; silver meeting gold, and saw concern in them. With a gentle sigh, Kagome's eyes slid closed and she slipped into unconsciousness; knowing that she was safe.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

InuTaisho watched his daughter as the newly exposed sun glinted off her ebony hair. She looked heavenly, save for the blood and wounds marring her perfect skin. It looked as though some of the wounds were already healing, for there were dried blood-paths across her skin, and some looked as though they had no origin. He had called to her softly, drawing her attention from the balcony above. His breath caught in his throat as her eyes met his own, then traveled behind him to where he heard Sesshomaru come in. Her eyes stayed there for a moment, then came back to his. As she reached for him, he saw her eyes dim and her knees buckle, and knew with his injuries he would not make it to her side in time. Sesshomaru solved that problem though, as he came to his sisters side and caught her before she hit the ground. He sat there for a moment, and then rose and turned with the limp form of his sister in his arms.

"She's fine," he stated, as he walked calmly to his father. InuTaisho raised a hand and gently palmed a lock of ebony hair away from his daughters closed eyes.

"She's had a long couple of days."

"I would suggest taking her to a room to rest until we're ready to move out," stated Karamina, padding over to InuTaisho's side.

"We are currently in enemy territory. There is no time to rest," remarked Sesshomaru, looking at Karamina with a hint of distaste.

"That is why you make it no longer enemy land." The group turned to her, as Karamina sat down with her tail curled around her paws.

"What would you mean?"

"Well, Sesshomaru has pretty much cleaned up the rest of the palace guards and guests, if I am any judge as to why he was late in his arrival. That means there are no more contenders unless they are hiding, and then there are only a few who could escape a dogs nose. And the villagers and those outside would not dare interfere with three Clansmen helping with this affair, unless they wish the wrath of the Clan brought down upon them. All that needs to be done is to secure the area against the soldiers that are hidden, if Guthrow and InuYasha aren't already hunting them out, and I'm sure nine of us can hold the garden against any other soldiers that try to attack."

"But there are only eight, unless you count Kagome in on the fight," commented Yousek. Karamina gave her a hard look, but did not answer the younger Clansman.

"Okay," called Adarin, deciding to save Yousek from Karaminas' gaze. "You heard what she said. I suggest Kagome and InuTaisho be placed in a room, while the rest of us set up a perimeter to defend should anyone else be stupid enough to try and attack us."

"Sesshomaru can place Kagome in the room," remarked InuTaisho. "But I must make sure everyone's alright." Karamina smoothly stepped before InuTaisho, and blocked his path. Their eyes met, and blue held amber as Karamina called out,

"Is everyone alright?" The answer was instantaneous.

"Injuries already healing…"

"…take some time to rest later, but good for right now…"

"…willing to take some more on if their daft enough to attack."

"See?" she told InuTaisho, still holding his gaze. "They are fine. You, though, need to go with your daughter."

"But…"

"And if I need to," she interrupted, before he could protest. "I will order those men to physically take you. I will not be lenient on this one you stubborn dog." InuTaisho held her eyes challenging for a few moment, before a slight and tired grin tugged at the edges of his lips.

"I don't a choice in this do I?"

"Not a chance."

"Very well. But the instant there is trouble…"

"I expect you to be right out here to face it. Yes, I know." With that, InuTaisho followed his son into a side room not so far from the scene of battle.

Karamina turned her attention to the black-and-white Yenshen.

"You used to be a servant at the palace right?" The dog nodded in agreement.

"Good. I will have a bowl of water and rags ready for your Lord and his daughter. You are better trained and skilled to handle him. I leave him to your paws." Yenshen nodded, and headed to where one of her comrades was motioning; with bowl in hand. Apparently, someone had already been scavenging for supplies, for next to him was also a medical kit. Karamina knew as well as everyone else that demons healed fast, but that didn't mean that a little help wasn't appreciated.

As those that were capable climbed the balconies to set traps and make sure the preimiter was secure, the day wore on. As it was finally considered that all was as safe as it could be, the sun was setting in the main opening of the garden windows; right at the direction of home. One of the dogs had brought a pan and trail rations in their pack, for they pulled them out now, while Yousek and Adarin were nearby, using their foxfire to start a blaze. A sentry was placed at the door of the Lords sleeping room, and another placed higher up on the balconies. As the darkness settled thickly around the garden, and the stars glittering overhead, Karamina looked up and distinctly saw two eyes that reflected the firelight back at her. She nodded at them, then turned her attention back to the fire, although her viewing had not gone unnoticed.

"It's her isn't it?" asked Adarin as he shoved another green branch onto the blaze. Karamina nodded, and settled down by the fire to warm herself. Her own wounds were healing well, but she will still stiff from them.

"Yes. I figured things would get interesting enough to draw her in. We will only get one goods night sleep, for she'll get bored and leave in the morning. Though, I suspect we'll be leaving too."

"Will InuTaisho be healed enough to travel you think?"

"Oh, he'll be limping, sore, and stiff. They will be walking all of the time, and I'm sure stopping frequently for him, even if he will not admit he needs it. And Kagome will probably still be sleeping by then, so someone will be carrying her no doubt."

"Just like I don't doubt you'll be limping and stiff and sore yourself Elder Karamina." She raised a paw and took a swipe at the kitsune.

"Hush pup. I will do no such thing. You're making me sound old." He gave her a sardonic grin.

"Well, last time I checked; you were." Karamina got to her feet in mock offense, and headed off towards the room.

"I don't have to take this from some spoiled puppy. I'm going to go where the company appreciates me." Adarin chuckled as she left, and watched Yousek come over.

"It's not polite to tease an Elder," she reminded him, enjoying the feel of the fire.

"Ahh, but if you recall, Karamina is the easiest one to tease and joke with, unlike some of the other Elders."

"That was the 'her' you were referring to wasn't it?" she asked abruptly, catching him off guard.

"Who?"

"The one who saved Kagome."

"Yes, that was the 'her' we spoke of before."

"Will you ever tell about her? I feel completely left in the dark."

"Later sister. Right now though, you need your rest. I will take this watch, and I will awaken you for the next. The dogs are tired. They've had a long run and a hard battle. Even Karamina is tired, and that isn't something that happens easily. When we have easier times, I will tell you who she is."

Yousek had to content herself with that, and laid her head upon her brothers flank, closed her eyes, and slept.

My New Years Resolution; to end all of your suffering by posting the next chapter. Hope it's what you were looking for. I actually wasn't planning to have you guys wait so long, but things happened.

No. I wasn't going to kill InuTaisho. I love him too much. Besides, he still has stuff to do. And thanks for the spelling corrections you guys gave me. Now I can get the swords right for the rest of the story. And Jon58840, I think Tenseiga cannot kill, but can create it's own sort of damage, for if you remember the third movie, it was used along with Tetsusaiga for the attack.

I hope you all had a good Christmas. Mine had a pallor over it, for my grandma died two days before. I was hoping to get this chapter posted before new-years, but that threw me off. She was 86 and wasn't in the best health. It was her time, but we still miss her. Hope none of you have to go through that.

Oh, and I wanted to thank everyone for reviewing on the other chapters. It really helps me to know what you all are thinking, and what next to do with the story. TTYL!

Sky